Golf is unique in that we have so many specialist areas to practice that many people lose sight of what the game actually is like that we are trying to improve at. We have driving ranges, indoor studios, backyard nets...a whole industry in itself of training aids and information and we are led to believe that the more we practice the better we will get. So here are a few tips for heading to the driving range on quality vs quantity.
Firstly, if it doesn’t look like Golf or feel like Golf, then its probably not really going to help you improve your Golf game. What do I mean by that? Well Golf is a game of problem solving with different environmental factors on different surfaces. It’s very rare that we will use the same club twice or try to hit it the same distance and yet that’s what many practice facilities have created.
100 balls to the same target, with the same club, at the same distance can potentially improve some technical issues but ultimately it still has to be transferred back to the game you are trying to play.
So next time you are at the range here are a few recommendations to take on board.
1. Don’t go into the range facility until you have decided what outcomes you are looking to try and achieve, and how you are going to set about achieving them. This could be improving your strike, adapting a pre-shot routine or hitting shots under pressure.
2. Split the balls up into sections. For example in a basket of 60 balls you may hit 5/10 warm up shots with a short club and progress through the bag with the only intention of getting loose. (I would also recommend adding in a few golf specific stretches to aid your warm up first.) Then you may hit 15 balls working on a certain move to improve a certain factor at impact that improves the ball flight (see how they work together..) this is often based upon something technical you have worked on with your coach. You may do this with use of video or some other kind of feedback. (We even give live online lessons on the range to many clients now, so keep that in mind to ensure you stay on track.)
Then I would progress onto switching clubs, varying targets and potentially designing a game on the range using targets that are out there and give yourself a score and record it. This could be based upon quality of strike or where it finished or both. Many ranges now have Top Tracer or Trackman and are great for creative practice and a score.
3. Design a game that has some levels to it, so you can’t progress to the next level until you have achieved a certain task. This brings in a certain element of pressure and recreates that feeling we all have when your hand are shaking and palms are sweaty!! Every ball should matter.
4. If you can find time, practice on the course once per week even better, this doesn’t mean taking lots of divots and hitting hundreds of balls. It means creating situations that are real, improve your skill level and demand your attention. You could play the even numbered holes with even numbered clubs or add an extra shot if you miss the fairway on a certain side or drag any putt back one length that finished inside 3 feet.
I hope that’s answered my question that ultimately the quality of your practice is much more important than the quantity. Let us know how you practice at the moment and check out our social channels for games that you could use to improve practice.
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